BARBARA — DAY 44: For the Love of Peeps

40 notes to 40 people in 40 days

Over the past month or so, you’ve probably noticed an abundance of Easter candy on store shelves — and if you’re fasting from candy and chocolate, what’s on those shelves is just sitting there taunting you! There is one candy in particular that I’d like to draw your attention to: Peeps.

Those colored marshmallow, sugar-coated chicks (or bunnies) that come in a yellow cardboard box wrapped in cellophane. The subject of one of my favorite “CBS Sunday Morning” segments, which traces the history of Peeps back to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they were first made by Amish women working at a candy company. Fast-forward to the factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where they are mass produced today. And no peeking behind the curtain — the Peep-making process is a secret! (Yes, I’ve watched the segment a few times.)

Finally, the reason these candy chicks have a special place in my heart: The Washington Post’s Peeps Diorama Contest. I’m happy that the Post won a Pulitzer this week for its coverage of the Edward Snowden NSA leaks. I’m also happy that the winner of the 2014 Peeps Diorama Contest has been revealed! To see photos of the winner and finalists click here. Or a cool interactive feature here. This year’s winner is a diorama of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s March on Washington. Instead of the usual pastels, this diorama is different shades of gray, reflecting the iconic black and white photos taken that day. And the semifinalists are great, too — “Game of Peeps,” “Breaking Bad Peeps,” and more.

If this is your first exposure to Peeps dioramas, you’re welcome. Maybe you’ve just found an alternative to dying Easter eggs this year!

And to my friend who introduced me to these wonders — your note is in the mail.